Earlier Israeli attacks this year -- one overnight Thursday and one in January -- were near the same research center.

On Saturday, U.S. officials said that Thursday's attack was aimed at a shipment of advanced missiles that Syria wanted to transfer to the Hezbollah militant organization, The New York Times reported.

As it fights a civil war, the regime of Bashar al-Assad enjoys the support of both Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah.

The regime has been shipping weapons from Iran to Hezbollah, but as the civil war escalates, al-Assad may want to speed up weapons shipments to the Lebanese militants before he loses power, the Times also said.

Residents of Damascus reached by phone said they heard large explosions after 2 a.m. coming from the Qasioun Mountains that overlook the capital, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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